Sight testing device



J. F. KOTHMAN SIGHT TESTING DEVI June 30, v1936.

Filed Jan. 6, 1936 '2 sheets-sheet 1 y 111111111111 Ill/l Il Jim@ 30, 1936. n F KQTHMAN 2,045,952

' SIGHT' TSTING DEVICE` Filed Jan. e, 195e 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SIGHTV k'.rEs'rING DEVICE John F. Kothman, Minneapolis, Minn., assigner of one-Y-half to F. T. Persinger Application January 6, 1936, Serial No. 57,831 9 claims. (Cisa-2o) The invention relates to improvements in sight testing apparatus and more particularly to an electrically illuminated cabinet which may be used at a point near to the person whose sight is being tested, at a distance from 12-20 inches rather than at a distance of from 10-20 feet as in charts or other eye testing devices now in cornmon use.

The general object of the invention is to provide means to hold and combine test cards, charts, etc. necessary to the optical profession in a convenient, neat and properly illuminated cabinet which can be worked with any near point subjective test.

According to my invention, a suitably illuminated cabinet is adapted to be rotatably suspended from a bracket or the like, so that a series of diierent faces having different forms of sight testing charts or the like thereon may be displayed a; the will ofthe operator.

At one of the faces there is displayed a movable chart which is in the form of a roll and is adapted to be conveyed past a suitable opening or Window in the face of the cabinet, the chart being manually movable over the rolls and being suitably supported so that a smooth surface is presented. The cabinet contains an electric light which is carried by a casing removable from the cabinet and adapted to support all the Working parts.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the sight testing cabinet certain parts being shown separated;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the working parts of the apparatus together with the casing carrying the same all removed from the cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a top plan ViewV of the same;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the movable chart;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cabinet on a reduced scale with the two faces thereof visible;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same from a diierent angle and displaying the other two faces Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet, the View being vtaken on line of Fig. 5; I

VFigf is a horizontal sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and-' Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the removable metal bracket shown inFig. 2, the workingparts being removed therefrom. Y

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the

reference numeral 20 denotes a cabinet ofboxl-' like construction and which may be of the size lndicated in Fig. 1. The box or cabinet is rotatably supported by a handle or like `member 2| which is suitably journalled to the box so as to permit relative rotation between the two. The bracket 2| may be supported from above in any suitable manner so that on rotation of the box 20, a plurality of testing chartsl A, B, C and D, one on each face of the box may be successively displayed.

In this manner, various forms of basic charts may l0 be combined in a single instrumentality.

As shown, the testing device A includes a pair of colored panes 22, V23, one being ruby red and the other marine blue, these panes being mounted in grooves 24 in the wall of the casing. A slip of 15 paper 25 withV a chart thereon is slipped in back of the panes and is removable. The chart may include a plurality of letters at the top, squares below the letters and beneath the squares suitable wording, as for example, the question Are the squares equally clear under each colori B designates a movable chart whichV is shown in detail in Fig. 4 and includes various forms of eye testing cards. The chart B is adapted to be moved before an opening in the Wall of the cabinet in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter and all of the charts will be suitably illuminated by a lamp 26 mounted in the interior of the cabinet.

C designates a meridial dial with a pinhole 2l.

D represents a chart having rows of letters of varying sizes.

One of the faces of the cabinet 2U is removable to expose the interior. As shown, this is the face carrying the contrasting panes and owing to the.

removability of this face, the panes are accessible fo-r removal or replacement either of the panes themselves or of the paper chart. The cover face 28 may be held in place by suitable screws 29.

Within the cabinet is a removable casing E preferably of sheet metal or other suitable material. Upon the casing is a lamp stand 3l).V The casing may be secured upon the base of the cabinet by means of screws 3| which pass through the base of the lamp stand, the casing E being slotte-d or cut away centrally at 32 as indicated in Fig. 9, permitting the screws to pass therethrough into the base of the cabinet. A conductor cord 33 also passes through the slot 32 and is provided with branch wires 34 whichlead to arswitch 35 suitably controlled by a knurled button 36 or the like. The casing E is provided with an up-v standingfwall 31 at one end of the base and with a pair of spaced upstanding lugs 38 at the other.

2 An opening 50 is provided in the wall 31 to Apermit the switch wires 34 to pass therethrough. Openings 39 are provided in the wall 31 and in the lugs 38 between which a pair of chart rolls 40 are mounted, one on each side of the lamp and substantially at the base of the cabinet. It will be noted that these rolls are below the level of the lamp itself and consequently do not obscure the vision or interfere with any of the charts with which the cabinet is equipped. On one end of each of the rolls is a gear wheel 4I, these gear wheels being outside of the casing wall 31. A master gear wheel 42 meshes with both of the roller gears 4| and is adapted to actuate the rolls.

As shown, the casing E is provided with an upstanding lug 43 formed integral therewithrby utilizing the metal struck out and forming the slot 32. The master gear wheel 42 is held between the lug 43 and the rear wall 31, an opening 44 being formed in the wall 31 to receive the bearing ofthe gear wheel. The gear 42 is provided with a shaft projecting outwardly through the wall of the cabinet upon which is mounted a suitable knurled handle 46 whereby the rolls may be actuated and chart B moved past the open face of the cabinet. It will be noted that the casing Eis likewise provided with guide membersformed integral therewith. The chart B is guided over the top member 41 and Vfront members 48 which vhold the chart taut in front of the opening in the outerv cabinet. y

- It will be noted by referring particularly to Fig. 2 that the lamp, movable chart and all working parts are mounted in the single casing E which is adapted to be detachably secured in place, simply by adjusting the screws 3l passing through the base of the lamp stand. Thus it will be seenV that the apparatus combines simplicity and econ- Y omy. 4

Among thecharacteristic features of the invention I may mention the' following:

a. The working partsare removable.

b. The working parts can be assembled independent of the cabinet.

` c. The working parts can'be inserted in the cabinet and fastened to the bottom thereof merely by two screws passing through the light socket.

d. 'The means'for conveying the movable chart B before the opening is accomplished by the use of three cog wheels in proper mesh, the center cog wheelhaving a hub or shaft which passes throughthe side of the case and which is provided with a knurled knob fastened to the shaft by which it maybe turned'to the right or left at the operators will, causing the other two cog wheels to turn in opposite directions. Y

e; The band of charts is so fastened to the shaft of the two outer cog wheels that the sameV and pin hole which are also important to near point subjective tests.

h. The apparatus includes the Snelling near point chart which may be use d in ordinary room light without turning out the light from the in- Simmer- Y Y viinity technique.

9. Suggestions for orthoptic treatment made plain by use of the instrument and the various techniques.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration but it will be obvious that it may be varied without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. Y

1. A sight testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having an `opening on one face thereof, a movable test chart adapted to be manually moved past said opening, an electric lamp mounted at the base of said cabinet and adapted to illuminate said chart, a pair of spaced rolls for actuating said chart mounted one on one side and the other on the other side of said lamp Vnear the base of said cabinet, said rolls having gear wheels at the ends thereof, a master gear for actuating both of the rolls and meshing with the gears at the ends of the rolls, and a removable casing carrying all the working parts, said casing including asingle upstanding side wall and a pair of parallel guide members for said chart projecting lfrom said side wall, one extending along the top and the other along the bottom of said opening.

2. A sight testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having an opening on one face thereof, a movable test chart adapted to be manually moved past said opening, an electric lamp mounted at the base of said cabinet and adapted to illuminate said chart, a pair of spaced rolls for actuating said chart mounted one on one side and the otherY on the other side of said lamp near the base of said cabinet, said rolls having gear wheels at the ends thereof, a master gear for actuating both of the rolls and meshing with the gears at the ends of the rolls, a removable casing carrying all theworking parts, said casing having a base provided with a central slot parallel with the rolls to permit passage of a conductor cord for supplying Vcurrent to the lamp, and an upstanding tab struck from said central slot for mounting said master gear.

3. A sight testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having an opening on one face thereof, a movable test chart adapted to be manually moved past said opening, an electric lamp mounted at the base of said cabinet and adapted to illuminate said chart, a pair of spaced rolls for actuating said chart mounted one on one side and the other on the other sideof said lamp near the base of said cabinet, said rolls having gear wheels at the ends thereof, -a master gear Yfor actuating both of the rolls and meshing with the vgears at the ends of the rolls, a removable skeleton casing carrying all the working parts, said casing including a base upon which the'lamp socketis mounted, an upstandingwall, spaced guide' arms for; Said Qhart'iproietins from said wall,Y and, ,a 75

pair of upstanding tabs opposite said wall, said rolls being supported between said wall and said tabs on opposite sides of said lamp socket.

4. A sight testing device for use in making subjective tests comprising a cabinet having window openings in a plurality of faces thereof, test charts mounted in said openings, a removable skeleton casing mounted in said cabinet, said casing including a base, an upstanding wall at one side of the base, a pair of spaced upstanding tabs at the opposite side of the base, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal guide arms extending from said upstanding wall, one of said guide arms disposed adjacent the upper edge and another disposed adjacent the lower edge of one of said window openings when said casing is in position in said cabinet, rollers journalled between sai-d upstanding tabs and the upstanding wall of said casing, a movable chart trained over said guide arms to be exposed through said last-mentioned window and vhaving its ends wound on said rollers, and a lamp mounted on the base of said removable casing positioned to illuminate said window openings.

5. As an article of manufacture for use in making subjective tests of the eyes, a revolvable cabinet, window openings in the vertical faces of said cabinet, a pair of contrastingly colored panes, one red and the other blue mounted in o-ne of said window openings, a chart behind said panes, a dial and pinhole chart mounte-d in another of said window openings, a removable skeleton casing mounted in said cabinet, said c-asing including a base, an upstanding wall at one side of the base, a pair of spaced upstanding tabs at the opposite side of the base, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal guide arms extending from said upstanding wall, one of said guide arms disposed adjacentrthe upper edge and another disposed adjacent the lower edge of one of said window openings when said c-asing is in position in said cabinet, rollers journalled between said upstanding tabs and the upstanding wall of said casing, a movable chart trained over said guide arms to be exposed through said lastmentioned window and connected at opposite ends to said rollers, and a lamp mounted on the base of said removable casing positioned to illuminate all of said window openings.

6. As an article of manufacture for use in making subjective tests of the eyes, a polygonal cabinet having window openings in a plurality of vertical faces thereof, a pair of contrastingly colored transparent panes, one red and the other blue mounted in one of said openings, a chart behind said panes, a dial and pinhole chart mounted in another ofV said openings, a letter chart mounted in another of said openings, a movable chart in the form of a web arranged to be Viewed through another of said openings, a skeleton casing for supporting said movable chart, said casing providing a b-ase having spaced upstanding tabs at one edge thereof and an upstanding wall at the opposite edge thereof, vertically spaced guide arms for said movable chart projecting from said wall one above and one below said last-mentioned window, rollers 'for operating said movable chart journalled between said tabs and said wall, and a lamp mounted between said rollers, said lamp serving to illumi- .nate all of said window openings.

'7. As an article of manufacture for use in making subjective tests of the eyes, a polygonal cabinet having window openings in a plurality of vertical faces thereof, a pair of contrastingly colored transparent panes, one red and the other blue mounted in one of said openings, a chart behind said panes, a dial and pinhole chart mounted in another of said openings, a skeleton casing mounted in said cabinet, a mov-able test chart carried by said casing visible through another of said window openings, rollers journalled in said casing, said chart being in the form of a web having its Vends wound on said rollers, and a lamp mounted in said casing in a position to v jective tests comprising a cabinet having window openings in a plurality of faces thereof, test charts mounted in said openings, a removable skeleton casing mounted in said cabinet, said casing including a base, an upstanding wall at one side of the base, a pair of spaced upstanding tabs atV the opposite side of the base, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal guide arms extending from said upstanding wall, o-ne of said guide arms disposed adjacent the upper edge and another disposed adjacent the lower edge of one of said window openings when said casing is in position in said cabinet, rollers journalled between s-aid upstanding tabs and the upstanding wall of said casing, a movable chart trained over said guide arms to be exposed through said lastmentioned window and having its ends wound on said rollers, a lamp mounted on the base of said removable casing positioned to illuminate said window openings, and means for driving said rollers in unison.

9. As an article of manufacture for use in making subjective tests of the eyes, a polygonal Vcabinet having window openings in a plurality of vertical faces thereof, a source of illumination for the interior of the cabinet, a pair of contrastingly colored transparent panes, yone red and the other blue mounted in one of said openings, a chart behind said panes, a dial and pinhole chart mounted in another of said openings, a letter chart mounted in another of said openings, spaced rollers mounted in said cabinet, and a movable test chart visible through another of said window openings, said chart being in the form of a web having a plurality of sight testing means thereon and having its ends wound on said rollers, and means for driving said rollers to selectively bring the sight testing means on said movable chart into said last-mentioned window.

JOHN F. KOTHMAN. 

